Beatles fans can take ‘long and winding road’ to buy Ringo’s home

LONDON – Every year thousands of fans of the world famous pop band the Beatles make the magical mystery tour around Liverpool.

The boyhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney have been turned into visitor-attraction time capsules.

Now fans of the so-called ‘Fab Four’ are being given the chance to go one better, after the former Liverpool home of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr was Wednesday put up for sale.

The small brick-built terraced house at 10 Admiral Grove in the inner city area of Toxteth, to be auctioned on March 24 to the highest bidder.

With a guide price of just USD 78,500 the sale is expected to attract worldwide interest.

Ringo lived at the two-bedroom house, built in the late 1800s, until he was 21. For the past 37 years it was home for Margaret Gorse, who was the tenant, paying a weekly rent. Margaret, who died last year, was always happy to invite people in to have a look inside the house until her death.

And to add to the nostalgia, the sale will take place at the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool. That is where the Beatles started their road to global fame as one of the greatest pop groups in history.

The property is owned by local social landlords Dane Plus who decided to put the house up for sale by auction.

The terraced property was a regular haunt for the Beatles in their early days, along with and other well-known faces from the Merseybeat era of the 1960s. The most famous was the singer Cilla Black who died recently. The property still attracts fans daily as it is part of the official Beatles Tour.

Dane Plus spokeswoman Claire Griffiths said: “We considered all of the options in relation to the house following the sad death of Margaret, who was a well-respected figure in the community. We felt it would be most beneficial to the community for the property to be sold as any profits made will be reinvested back into homes in the area.”

The housing group has put a restriction on the house, and said it must only be sold to a family who intends to live in it, following concerns raised by neighbors who fear the house could become a tourist attraction or museum if a commercial buyer bids for it.

Auctioneer Tony Webber said: “We are delighted and excited to be chosen to auction this property, which is such a unique part of Liverpool’s history as well as that of The Beatles. We expect a high level of interest from potential buyers in the UK and internationally. We would urge all interested parties to register their details as soon as possible to ensure they don’t miss out on this rare opportunity.”